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22 December, 2015

The Book... by Martyn Beardsley

Image from google books.

After a long hiatus I present to you the latest in my occasional series of guest blog posts. This series is where writers and readers tell us about a book which has meant something special to them. We've had books that encouraged early reading and books that have shaped faiths and books that will be passed on to the next generations. Today, my dear friend and author, Martyn Beardsley, tells us about...

The Book That Almost
Came to Life

When I was young I read a book about a boy staying in a big
old house. On a nocturnal exploration he stumbles on a way of going back to the
house's Victorian past, and befriends a girl who lived there. It was Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa
Pearce. Each time he goes back in
time and plays with her she is a little older, until finally she is a young woman
with a boyfriend. Tom is still a little boy, and sadly realises that the
adventure is over. I won't give away the twist ending – but it always brings
lump to my throat.

I re-read it as an adult, and unlike many revisits of childhood
books I wasn't disappointed. I learned that the setting was the author's own
childhood village on the River Cam near Cambridge - and decided to go on a
literary pilgrimage and find it.

After some fruitless wandering about I spotted an elderly
lady pottering in her garden, and asked for directions. I was surprised by the
grilling she gave me as to the reason for my search – until she finally admitted,
'I am Philippa Pearce – I bet you
thought I would be dead by now!' (I denied it – but the books were old so I had
kind of assumed…)

She invited me in for a cup of tea, explaining that she had bought
this cottage because it was opposite the old family mill house which had
inspired her stories. We discussed her writing, and when I told her I was an
aspiring but unpublished writer myself she gave me some useful advice. I went
away walking on air and clutching a signed copy of another of her books. Only a
year or so later I finally had my first book published, and I sent her a copy
and received a very kind reply. One lasting effect of the encounter is that
I've always tried help other unpublished writers in whatever small way I could.

It's only just struck me that the denouement of my story is
not unlike that of the novel, which prompted me to change the title of this
little piece. Apart from the birth of my daughter, meeting Philippa Pearce remains
the most magical memory of my life.

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Thanks, Martyn. As an once-unpublished writer who Martyn helped and encouraged, I am very grateful to Philippa Pearce as well! Tom's Midnight Garden was one of my favourite childhood classics and I'm itching to read it again now...